A Ribbon of Quicksilver: Art & Environment on the Kankakee River

There is an alarming rise of sand and silt content being deposited from Indiana into the Illinois side of the Kankakee River. This is caused by Indiana’s manipulation of the natural path of the river. This dangerous condition is made worse by the consequences of climate change. Together these grave realities are at times overwhelming and it can be difficult to know how to respond. Through artistic production including photography, mixed-media works, poetry, and prose, together with scientific field research, artists, scientists, and scholars come together to explore, define, and perhaps inspire. This interdisciplinary project seeks to re-imagine natural materials in fresh ways with hope that viewers engage the world around them with renewed reverence and care. This work was funded by the Craighton T. and Linda G. Hippenhammer Faculty Scholarship Grant